The present invention relates to the field of horse riding equipment and more particularly it relates to metal fender shapers that can be readily added to the fenders of an existing saddle system for correcting the free-hanging orientation of the stirrups for ready insertion of the rider""s feet without manual assistance and for avoiding riding discomfort and leg stress that can be caused by incorrect free-hanging stirrup orientation.
The three dimensional view of FIG. 1 depicts a conventional Western style saddle system 10 mounted on a horse 12, shown in part, facing toward the left. The saddle system includes on each side a fender 14, typically made from a flat panel, about xe2x85x9 inch thick, of quality leather with a tooled finish. Concealed beneath the fender 14, a stirrup strap 16, formed as an adjustable-length loop, is suspended securely from the main saddle structure at its upper end, and carries the stirrup 18 at its lower end, where it loops under a neck bolt (not visible) across the throat at the upper region of the stirrup 18. The lower portion of the stirrup strap 16 is typically covered by an extension tab configured in the fender 14 as shown. This tab passes through the stirrup 18 and extends part way up inside the fender 14 along with the stirrup strap 16 as shown, and the doubled lower loop is typically seized together by a buckled leather strap 20 known as a xe2x80x9chobble strapxe2x80x9d. The stirrup strap 16 is typically attached to a top region of the fender 14 with a pair of rivets which are normally concealed beneath a saddle skirt as indicated.
When the fender 14 is new and has not been shaped or even if it was once shaped and allowed to lose its shape, it is substantially flat and tends to lay flat against the horse""s side; in this condition the free-hanging orientation of the stirrup 18 is substantially parallel to the horse""s side as shown in FIG. 2. Thus a rider, on first mounting the horse, would have to reach down to at least the offside stirrup and manually turn it about 90 degrees for inserting the foot. Not only is this inconvenient, time-consuming and potentially dangerous upon first mounting, it is also distracting and uncomfortable for normal riding as it requires some effort from the rider to counteract the tendency to revert to the incorrect orientation.
To overcome the xe2x80x9cflat fenderxe2x80x9d problem described above, it is customary to xe2x80x9cbreak inxe2x80x9d the fenders in a manner to set a curvature in the lower region so that the stirrups will free-hang in a more convenient orientation: commonly the fenders are soaked in water to overcome their original stiffness for forming the curvature in some form of shaping apparatus. When properly shaped, the stirrups hang much closer to the ideal orientation perpendicular to the horse""s side; as an additional functional benefit the curvature introduced in the fender provides the rider with a degree of leg protection from the front. Furthermore the aesthetic appearance of fender shaping has become an important tradition.
However, it is an inherent property of the leather fender that, no matter how many times it is reshaped, each time it almost immediately starts losing this artificial shape and reverting toward its inherent flat shape unless specially stored in some kind of xe2x80x9cset holderxe2x80x9d, sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9choldersxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csettersxe2x80x9d. Such set holders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,590,750, 3,827,215 and D289,453. In the absence of such set holders, the soaking and reshaping has to be repeated frequently. Not only is this inconvenient but it is potentially harmful to the condition and appearance of the leather. As the artificial fender shaping deteriorates, mounting becomes increasingly inconvenient and potentially dangerous, and riding comfort becomes increasingly impaired by stress on the legs due to increasing torque from the incorrect free-hanging stirrup orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,338 to Martin discloses a FENDER BENDING ATTACHMENT having a first leg shaped as a U-shaped channel with a pair of opposed abrasive engagement surface that frictionally engage opposite sides of the fender along a portion of a lower edge thereof, and that extends as a narrow strip bent to form second leg, perpendicular to the first leg, extending across the front side of the bottom edge of the fender, and a third leg perpendicular to the second leg extending rearwardly. According to the abstract, xe2x80x9cThe third leg and a portion of the first leg actually rest on top of the stirrup . . . xe2x80x9d.
Other approaches to the problem such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,646 SAFETY STIRRUP and U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,198 STIRRUP STRAIGHTENER CONNECTOR propose introducing a 90 degree orientation mechanically immediately above the stirrup. This would imply that the fender would be allowed to remain flat, thus sacrificing the leg-protective function and valued aesthetic appearance of the shaped fender.
Existing art fails to address an unfulfilled need for a device that can be easily incorporated in an existing fender, that will shape the fender in the desired manner to provide optimal stirrup orientation, and that will positively hold the fender permanently in the desired optimal shape.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a solution to the widespread problem encountered by horseback riders, that when the fenders are new or have lost their artificial shaping and reverted back to their natural flat shape, upon mounting, getting the feet into the stirrups is problematic and usually requires manual assistance because the orientation of the stirrups in their initial free-hanging condition is inherently incorrect.
It is a further object to provide a simple device that can be readily added to existing regular riding gear to hold the fender properly shaped for correct free-hanging orientation of the stirrups substantially perpendicular to horse""s side so that, upon mounting, the rider can easily insert the feet without need of manual assistance, and enjoy riding with enhanced comfort provided by the more ergonomic stirrup suspension.
It is a further object that the stirrup orientation correction device not contact the horse""s body or interfere in any way with the functioning of other riding gear.
The present invention is a sheet metal fender shaper that can be easily attached to the fender of an existing saddle system and that will positively shape and retain the fender in an optimal manner that holds the stirrup in correct free-hanging orientation that enables easy insertion of the foot without requiring manual assistance, and that enhances riding comfort overall.